Life — October 1, 1903 — page 31: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Present State of Literature. \ ARLYLE once made an “Inquiry into the / State of German Literature,” and others have investigated the state of letters in other lanes. As it is not essential to be bilious, nor prerequisite to be alien, an inquiry into the state of polite and other literature in America is in order. That it may be well done, and not half-baked, I do it myself, for, though modest, | am Literary and Authori- tative, if not well read; almost shrinking enough for a reviewer, Literature is in a bad way; it has no friends except mercenary publishers and im- pecunious writers; even critics, who know literature when it bites them, speak harshly of it. Literature has been going down hill for years; it has now been stranded in the department stores, where Shakespeare and Laura Jean Libbey battle for recognition with Indiana poets and Battle Creek break- | fast foods. Poetry, which is viewed with alarm by alienists, is a goner. When the twenty-five-cent table d'hote was strangled by the Beef Trust, the Poets’ Union suc- cumbed; and to-day poets are not raised ex- cept in captivity and suburban Boston. His- tory has been decaying since it became wed- ded to that robust form of fiction called the New England Family History; genealogy, gossip, gush and gab have ruined it. Ida Tar Ball has dropped Napoleon and Lincoln for Kerosene and Rockefeller; we blush for Washington, Jefferson and Webster; Judas Iscariot and Benedict Arnold are American ideals; and only the Spanish War heroes, whose pens are mightier than their swords, are left to stagger humanity with their memoirs and amaze empires with their ex- ploits. The historical novel, which is seldom his- torical and never novel, is the only danger- ous rival which Reformed Oats and Jagless Rye encounter in a free press, next to pure reading matter. All depend on robustuous in- veracity for reputation and sturdy credulity for consumption; but the oats and rye have some value. The Swashbuckler novel—the cousin of the H. N.—has waned since its heroes have been translated to the stage. An imported syndicate hero in red boots, abbre- viated blue breeches, green shirt waist, blonde curls, brown Arizona hat, yellow feathers and a secret society sword, is not calculated to make literature respected and popular. The Frohmanized Swashbuckler has added a new horror to the drama, an- other terror to literature. Literary translations make countless thou- sands yawn; they lack even their native | attraction—indecency. D'Annunzio done into English {s dullness and dirt; Ibsen suffers from Norse-algia; and the genius of France, | Germany and Russia is Englished té congest | | junk stores and feed furnaces, Plainly the Literary Outlook is alarming. K. H. Davis has quit; Bangs swings between POMMERY CHAMPAGNE Men who are entitled to be~ classed as connoisseurs never order champagne, merely, but specify Pommery CHARLES GRAEF & CO., Sole Agents for the United States 82 Beaver Street, New York post-mortem persiflage and historical grave robbery; Kipling has taken to golf, politics | \ HENRY B HYDE AG es _SHNYDE FALLING LEAVES warn us that winter-time is fast approaching. And we prepare for it. But how about the winter-time of life? When the winter of your life approaches, will it be bare and cheer- less as that of the tree stripped of its leaves? An adequate Endowment policy in the Equitable makes a sure pro- vision for your maturer years — and meanwhile will protect your family. Vacancies for men of character to act as representatives Apply te GAGE E TARBELL 2% Vice President For full Information fill out this coupon, or write THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY of the United States 120 Broadway, New York, Dept. No. 27. Please send me information regarding an endow- ment for $.... Baistas Hf inswed at.ssssessersesceecees soceseesosesss-JOMAB OF age. Names casiengtiars means ee eS ‘ Address... comicbooks.com